Commonly, telescoping basket arrangements are utilized for on-board packagers and module builders of cotton harvesting machines. The telescoping capability of such baskets is advantageous as it allows the basket to be collapsed to a lower overall height for compliance with height restrictions for travel over public roads, for passage under bridges and through doorways, and the like. Telescopically extending the basket lid upwardly from the lower basket provides increased capacity for receiving and holding cotton in the basket. As a result of the telescoping nature of the basket arrangement, an interface will exist between the upper edge portions of the upwardly extending walls of the lower basket and the lower edge portions of the downwardly extending walls of the basket lid, which may provide a passage for cotton to escape from the interior of the basket. For applications wherein the cotton is to be densely compacted by compactor apparatus located within the basket, cotton can be forced by the compacting action of the compactor apparatus through the interface if not suitably sealed, so as to escape the basket and hang from the exterior detached from the cotton inside, or so as to be lost.
As a result, it is desirable to provide an effective seal at the interface between the basket lid and lower basket, which is reliably engaged when the lid and lower basket are telescopically extended, to limit or prevent passage of cotton therebetween, and which is reliably released and does not become snagged and/or damaged during telescoping movement of the lid and lower basket. Still further, it is optionally desirable for the seal to facilitate telescoping movement of the basket lid and lower basket between the extended and retracted positions.
Commonly, flexible rubbery seals are used to form sealed conditions between telescopically related members for a variety of applications. However, such flexible seals can stiffen and tear or otherwise be damaged from use. In the present instance, the basket walls of a cotton packager are typically constructed of perforated metal or screen, which can abrade or otherwise damage flexible rubbery seals when moved thereover.
Thus, what is sought is a sealing arrangement for the lid to lower basket interface of a telescoping basket arrangement, which provides one or more of the capabilities and overcomes one or more of the problems and shortcomings set forth above.